London international schools

A large part of this website is dedicated to finding the best British independent preparatory school for your child, but in reality a fair share of internationals prefer their children to be educated in an international setting, particularly in a setting that nurtures entrepreneurship, groupwork and creativity rather than constant testing and test preparation. If this sounds like you, in order to provide useful information you, I also want to feature London’s top international schools here. I will start by discussing the top options that start at the Reception age/primary level, but I will also mention the top IB schools in London and what choices of primary schools might lead there. Also check our overview of French schools in London.

International schools

ACS International Schools is a group of schools known for its excellent facilities with campuses around London in Cobham, Egham and Hillingdon. The schools offer a choice of American programmes and the IB programme. About a third of students here are North American, 15% British and the rest from all around the world. ACS Cobham is the largest with 1,500 students, including boarding houses for high school students. It is served by school buses from South Kensington, Richmond and surrounding towns in Surrey. ACS Hillingdon is the closest to London and is served by school buses from Kensington, Notting Hill, Chiswick, Gerrard’s Cross, among others. Both ACS Cobham and Hillingdon offer an American programme in the early years, with a choice of AP courses and IB Diploma for the final years, whereas ACS Egham offers the IB programme all the way through. ACS Hillingdon offers scholarships and bursaries for outstanding middle and high school students.

TheAmerican International School in England (TASIS) provides a challenging academic experience for day (age 3–18) and boarding (age 14–18) students from around the world. With 57 nationalities represented in the co-ed student community, approximately half hold an American passport, while 17% have British citizenship. Students have a choice of academic pathways: they can follow an American curriculum that includes Advanced Placement (AP) courses, or choose the IB Diploma Programme. One-to-one university counselling assists students through every step of the selection and application process, and TASIS graduates move on to a wide range of universities in the UK, the US, and worldwide (about half of graduates move on to study in the US). TASIS England’s beautiful 46-acre campus in Thorpe, Surrey, provides excellent facilities for its comprehensive programmes of sports, arts, and activities. Further information is available here.

American School in London – another very popular American school in St John’s Wood – 76% of students have at least one parent with a US passport, but the school’s admissions policy stresses that the school tries to admit a diverse student body, and 41% of pupils have at least one other passport. It is very much an American school though! The school takes children aged 4 all the way to 18 and provides “American education with a global perspective”. The kindergarten classes are inspired by the Reggio Emilia method. The school has been rated “outstanding” across the board by Ofsted. The high school has a great track record for Ivy League placements.

Dwight School London is an inclusive international school offering the IB programme for children from 3 – 18 years. School buses cover most North London neighbourhoods and the school attracts many local children as well as expat children from around the world. The school has strong links to its partner schools in New York, Seoul and Vancouver – and Shanghai . Average score in the IB for 2014 was 31 with a pass rate of 79%. The school offers generous merit-based scholarships and bursaries from age 10 – 18.

French Lycee – more than international, this school follows the French educational system but is extremely popular among internationals, even though only few manage to make their way in. Due to a good number of French citizens of Arab and African descent, and well as children from mixed couples, the student body is fairly international, which is reflected in a breadth of GCSE and A-Level language choices students can make, such as Russian and Arabic, that is not offered at most London secondaries. Pupils can choose to pursue British or French educational qualifications at age 14. It is notoriously hard to get in – to find out how to get in through the back door, read this post.

Halcyon School – a newly founded non-for-profit international school in Marble Arch for students aged 10 -18. The school has recently gained IB accreditation and offers the MYP and the IB programme. Its first set of IB diploma students are set to graduate in summer 2017. The school is very modern and informal, placing heavy emphasis on technology in the classroom and skills for the future, such as Spanish and Mandarin language skills and programming languages. The school is in walking distance to Hyde Park, which the students use for sports in the summer.

Hill House International Junior School – discussed in detail here and here, Hill House is a family-run Swiss school that follows the National Curriculum of Britain and prepares children for the British 11+ and 13+ exams, so it is probably your most British international school. It does have 50% of children from international families and focus on arts and music as well as sports and games far more than your typical British school, and it also houses a campus in Switzerland that children attend for hiking trips and music courses in the Summer and skiing in Winter. This is a great choice for parents who like the international model but still want their children to have the option of continuing at British boarding schools or getting into the selective London day schools.

International Community School (ICS) – a long established IB international school for children aged 3 – 18 across three sites in Marylebone and Paddington. A truly inclusive international school with children from all over the world, it emphasises small class sizes, individual learning and international understanding. Students scored an average of 35 points on the IB diploma last year.

International School of London – this is a co-educational international school for children from 3 – 18 that offers the IB as well. It is located in Chiswick but runs many school buses to different West London locations. They have long experience of integrating children relocating from abroad. The school publishes leavers’ destinations by IB points which is very helpful, and you will see that their top students have been placed to very competitive courses at Ivy League universities and Oxbridge in the past. Said to be popular with Italian families, amongst many others from around the world. Average point score in the IB Diploma for 2014 was 33.6.

Southbank International School – this is a very popular school, with three campuses: Hampstead, Kensington and Westminster. Co-educational, it is very much committed to the International Baccalaureate’s philosophy and pedagogy. Over 90% of students come from international families (exact mix of nationalities is detailed here). Children may start studying the IB Primary Years Programme at nursery aged 3, and continue through the Middle Years Programme all the way through to the IB Diploma at 18. Students scored 35.5 average in the IB Diploma in 2014. The school has recently launched an IB Diploma Scholarship that covers 100% of tuition fees over two years.

Top London IB schools

North London Collegiate – Average point score per pupil 41.9. Highest score in IB in Europe, just ahead of boarding school Sevenoaks, this girls’ school in Edware, Middlesex, accepts girls from Reception age onwards via assessment.

Godolphin & Latymer School – Average point score per pupil 40.9. Very popular girls day school in Hammersmith that also has stellar A-level results. All the top prep schools featured on this site, such as Glendower Prep, Falkner House and Kensington Prep send a large share of girls to this independent secondary school.

King’s College Wimbledon – Average point score per pupil 40.0. also one of the top performers in the IB, King’s College Wimbledon with its co-educational Sixth Form does have a junior school attached that admits boys at the 7+ level.

This compares with 35.5 scored by students at Southbank International School in 2014 and 33.6 scored by students of the International School in London. Keep in mind though that a) any exam would favour native speakers of English and b) not all girls at North London Collegiate and Godolphin do the IB, many take the A-Level instead, so the IB results only represent the results of those students chosen to take the demanding IB – the A-level results of these schools are stellar as well though. There is also a new international IB school in London called the Halcyon School in Marble Arch. You can read more about it on our blog.

Hi Ignacio, I have heard great things about the school and its sister schools as well. As to the 11+ results, I didn’t find enough detailed information on this on their website. They only give a vague list of schools pupils generally gain entry to but without numbers – this is more usual among schools who don’t have top class results (http://www.bassetths.org.uk/eprospectus/future_schools.php), but you can’t know for sure, they may be perfectly fine. I would suggest visiting the school and asking for a detailed list of 11+ results, as they don’t volunteer the full results on their website.

I was wondering about the Deutsche Schule London near Richmond… this school seems very impressive but off the map for most English people. What do you know about its reputation and its level of success in international/bilingual education?

Hi ragno – it is definitely known to be very good in terms of parent ratings, people with children there are very happy. But the education follows the German system and I am not sure it is fully bilingual as the dominant language would be German. But there are lots of international children at the school.

Since 2010 you can also do your IB there. I think most pupils speak some German, but there are quite a few pupils whose mother tongue is English. I am not sure how it all works though, their website is pretty vague.

The school is Ofsted rated “outstanding” and the report reads fantastic. We are thinking about sending our children there when they are a bit older.

AnonymousAugust 15, 2015, 1:04 AM

Hi
classes are taught in German (mostly) so pupils must speak German, though kindergarten and preschool are bilingual. The IB has successfully been introduced but pupils must do the Abitur, which is the German equivalent to A levels and can choose to do the IB additionally – they cannot just do the IB.

Hi, thank you for helping us navigate through the challenging task of finding the right school. I am moving to London in April. My offices are in Westminster. I need help in finding an international/independent school for my son who just turned 5 not too far from my office. I understand that he will he going to Reception in April and to Year 1 in Sep 2013. I need to identify schools which offer extended care till 5:00 pm since I am a working Mom. Can you suggest a few schools besides American School in London? I am most interested in schools which focus on developing all aspects – Social , emotional in addition to academic. Thanks!

We are moving to London from Spain in June and are looking for a co-education private or high quality state school for my daughter, who will be entering year 2. My husband will be working in St Paul’s area and so would really appreciate recommendations for areas/schools with reasonable commuting time to the City. My daughter is trilingual English/Spanish/Portuguese and I would like to find schools with a good international feel (but following the British system). Schools with a music/arts slant could also work well.

Thank you for your article. my 7 yr old son is in a good popular prep in south London. Although my son likes sports he is more academic. His present school may be too large for him. Looking for a smaller school with a good mix of local and international people and good academic results. Can find many in south london. we dont mind moving if necessary.

Hi,
We are moving to London from China in mid-July and are looking for good c0-educational private/prep/internatonal schools for my two 8 years old twin daughters. They will be in year 5 the next school year. Looking for school with good academic results, music and arts will be a benefit. My husband will work in Canary Wharf. I appreciate if you can give me some recommendations of area/schools.

Hi, this website is really helpful. A quick question, I have a 7 and 10 year old who need a bit of help, one is mildly autistic and the other has ADHD. Will be relocating to the UK for around 3 years and would like to them to go to an international school – which schools in London would you recommend? Thanks in advance!

We are relocating end of Nov, 2013 to London (will be working at Blackfriars) from Singapore with a 5 year old (July 2008 born) a=nd a 2 year old (both sons). The elder one is currently studying in an International School in Singapore with IB curriculum. What are my options for international schools and which areas should I consider.

Dear Saswate, options for international schools are those mentioned on this site plus a few others like Dwight, Halcyon, ICS, Hillingdon, Marymount… if you need help with admissions we’re happy to helphttp://www.londonpreprep.com/services/consulting/

it’s not that straightforward unfortunately, 11 is a very hard age to transfer here because of the 11+ exams and generally the provision of private schools near Canary Wharf is far behind what you find in other parts of London. You may need to be flexible in terms of neighbourhood you are targeting – I will send you an email as well as you might benefit from admissions consulting to help you find spaces:http://www.londonpreprep.com/services/consulting/

Im pretty much in the same situation, we will be moving to London In August and I”ll be working in Canary Wharf. As I decided to find apartment depending on the school location, I would appreciate any help you might give! My daughter will turn 12 in July and we come from the Dutch system.

might be worth checking out the international schools in North London from where you can commute easily to Canary Wharf

EmilyJanuary 31, 2014, 5:14 AM

Hi! My family is moving to London and we need to find a school that offers the IB in central London, as that is where we will live. My 15 year old daughter (who is going into the 10th grade) would like to do the IB but would also like to go to a co-educational school that has a larger percentage of English students rather than American. We live in America now and our daughter would like a change. Are there any schools you have not suggested above that we should look at?

Dear Laura, with a 14 year old you could contact any of the international schools mentioned above).

AbhFebruary 24, 2014, 11:40 PM

Hi,
another story of moving to London from USA – and only finding out about it now! would there be international schools in central London with spaces available at this time (our kids would be 10+ and 7+), such as Southbank (we have done only about two days of research as yet)? Also, if we progress further and look for specific consulting services, are you accepting clients? Thanks

Hi,
We are relocating to Bournemouth/Poole area in the autumn 2014 for approx 2 years. Our son will be 11 then. Looks as if you specialise in London schools but do you have any advice on finding a good international school in south of England? He currently attends an IB School in Sweden.
Grateful for any ideas… Many thanks!

Hi! we might move to London from Tokyo this summer..july 2014. My son will be applying for grade 9 . currently he is an american IB schooling grade 8 . Many suggested us ACS international school Cobham. Could I get some reviews to help me make decision? Thanks your with regards,

We are living in Greece and considering relocating back to London for secondary school. Our home in London is Battersea Park, but we are dawnted by the prospect of finding a secondary school for our two girls (8 and 10). We are considering moving out to either Wimbledon, Kingston or Richmond area.
Am I correct that my eldest could go to Hill House until year 8? Ideally i would like to find a liberal minded, independent school, not too academic, but focused on languages (spanish or other languages other than just french) art and music. It would also be nice to find a school that also caters for primary school. I like the sound of Marymount International school in S W London, but i am not too keen on single sex schools. I would appreciate your guidance and your very helpful website.

I have recently moved to London from Paris with my two kids (6 and 2.5 years old) and am trying to get them to good schools from the 1st of September. I am very lucky as we live in South Kensington and there are two state schools – Bousfield and Our Lady of Victories which would be good for my elder daughter. Of course getting a place for her at Lycee Francais would be just wonderful as she has followed the French education system in Paris.

If you’ve got some suggestions or advice on how I can get them to school from the 1st of Sept this year, please let me know – really appreciate it!

Hi, we have 2 boys, 4 and 7, and will be moving to London mid-year from the US. Considering the ISL (Chiswick) (why is the name scratched in your write-up?) and the ASL in St. John’s wood. Any thoughts on how the two compare? pro’s and con’s of each? Thanks!

ISL – in the suburbs, small and very international student profile. ASL – in Central London, large and very modern facilities, strong American community, not really an international school really. So depends a bit what type of experience you are looking for for your children!

Thanks for that. We need a school that can cater to the individualizations for the children. Both are on the gifted spectrum and well ahead of their peers. The school should focus on well rounded growth not just pure academics. Thanks

Hi,
My son 11+, born 3rd March 2003 and now studying class 6 in St Vincent High and Technical School Asansol, India but now he want to join his next class in London. Which residential IB school would be better for him? He wants to be in Sevenoaks School but as this a carrier oriented decision I should know the best decision and the process of admission, guardianship of International Student and all. So I need help.

Hi, we are moving to London in the next january, and after I read all the comments in you website, I’m confused.. Our family will be located in Eaton Square area, and we are looking for an international school for our boy 5years old. could you suggest any good school?
thanks a lot
cristina

Dear Cristina,
there aren’t any international schools in that immediate area, the only one in Central London is really Southbank International School, but you could also try the British private schools in that area which have very international student body (Eaton Square School would be a good start, for example!).

I am looking for a well established IB international school in and near London. My son will be going into the 9th grade and I have a 7 year old in the French school. We are moving from Southeast Asia. I don’t know London well enough. In terms of location what good international school is closest to a good French Lycee so that I can make this work for my family? Many thanks,
Mariza

hi, I am looking for a school that has German language as an option. we are based in Chelsea/Battersea and our children are german/English speakers. can you help. Hill house is an option but i don’t know how focused they are on languages other than french and spanish.
Thank so much

Most schools have very limited language choices and it is more common to find German at secondary schools (except for a few prep schools in North London which won’t help you). You could obviously look at the German School in Richmond, or more realistically, the German Saturday school run in Bayswater. I can’t think of any school in your neighbourhood that teaches German, and even if they did, it would be so basic that it would be far below your children’s level. Google “Deutsche Samstagsschule”!

Thank you for all the excellent information. Having been educated abroad I’m finding it very hard indeed to get my head round the British school system for my 19 month old son. It seemed so very premature to worry about schools and now it feels like we’re late!

Hi,
I actually wanted to leave a post at the bottom of the French Schools page but that didn t seem possible, so leaving it here!
We are a fully bilingual family (French/English), with both parents schooled in the French system (Lycee Charles de Gaulle in London), but permanently settled in London. We are very torn between the French and English systems, and would like to understand – is there any difference in general education standard between the French system and a good British independent school?
And how feasible it is to move from the French system to a competitive English private secondary school (eg Latymer Upper), at 11 years old. Is this possible? What age would a child need to move back to the English system to prepare for the 11+, or could he feasibly do it from a French school?
Any advice much appreciated!

the approach is different, British system starts earlier but especially for Maths & Science most say French system catches up or even overtakes British system by the time children are 10 or so. Still, a child coming from a French school would likely need 11+ tutoring (especially in English) to enter to Latymer Upper. In general, British schools are more well-rounded and place more emphasis on extracurriculars, French school will be more narrow minded and academic. If a child is very much into maths & sciences, the French system is probably great, for most other children, the British system could provide more varied opportunities. Also think about long-term plans (British vs French universities). Both systems have pros and cons, you can’t really say which is better.

We are a young Canadian family relocating to central London in August. I don’t see the International Community School listed under your London International Schools heading. Is there a reason it is not considered here? My sons were accepted into this school but we are differing the acceptance until we explore other schools such as Southbank and L’Ecole International Franco-Anglaise.

In your opinion, would young children (ages 3 and 5) whose native language is English but who are exposed to French at home and in a French Immersion program at school be better suited for Franco-Anglaise bilingual program or a more international community setting such as at ICS or Southbank?

MS – it really depends if you want to keep French going, in which case EIFA would be more suitable. Also, it’s a totally different curriculum, EIFA is French curriculum, Southbank and ICS are IB curriculum. ICS I kept off mainly because a) they don’t publish any IB statistics, which all other international schools in London do and b) google ICS to have more background

Hi, I’m relocating to central London in August. I have two girls Y4 and Y6 from Italy. Do you know anything about italian school of London?. Is it rally not recommended to go to state school? Thank you in avance for this great blog!
Raffy

Raffy – yes, the school is good, of course only goes till Year 6, so you’d still need another solution for your older daughter very soon. There can be good state schools with openings in the higher year groups, check the list of top state schools and call the individual council where you’re moving for any availability. But you need to have a London address before you can apply for a state school place.

Thank you so much for the information! Some of the schools seem really great for my kids. We’ve just moved to London, Chiswick because we have a family business here and I need to find a good school for my two boys!

Hi – How about the International Community School in London? They have IB all the way from 3-18 years old, 100% pass rate at Diploma level and an average score of 35 points – the international average being 29.2….. this is surely a hidden gem that you should know about! It’s a beautiful, small school with wide horizons – http://www.icschool.co.uk
Laura

we are re-locating to London over the summer, and my girls are going to be 9 and 6. looking for good IB schools that have good facilities for outdoor activities and arts. My work place will be in Chiswick and we would like to live in a community that has a good mix of british and expats .. any ideas on list of schools we can target. we don’t want the kids to travel more than half hour in school bus.

Hello,
We are moving to London in September ’16 for one academic year. We are looking for a good, international school for our daughter (born May 2005).
Her English is not that great, but we are hoping it will improve substantially until September. We are looking for a school that is sensitive to a child’s individual needs and where our daughter will feel well at an emotional level.
We do not mind the exact location – I will be working in central London and I do not mind a train journey of up to 40-45min.
I would be grateful for any help.

Thanks for the detailed information. Could you please advise what curriculum these international schools are using? Have you heard of IPC Curriculum – International Primary Curriculum? Many thanks in advance.

Thanks for your reply! what curriculum does a normal state primary school use? And can you please advise can IPC eventually connect to IB curriculum? As seems IPC only goes up to 11 years old which only covers the primary stage? Many thanks in advance.

AnnMay 27, 2016, 1:03 AM

We are moving to London this summer and have 16 year old twins going into 11th grade. Are there boarding schools or suburban schools that have equestrian programs? They can be all-girls. What about boys schools for an average student who is very sports oriented (American sports). Can be day or boarding. Thanks

I wanted information about schooling for year 16 + and also I am an international student . so, if you have admissions for international students, kindly send the constructive information about the school

My brother has twin 13yr old boys who currently study in a British school in Dubai and he is looking for a British curriculum school for them wef Sept 2016. I have called all the top schools in South London but no luck as they have taken on their full intake for this year.

Kindly suggest other schools in London or near Bromley either boarding or day that would possibly have places at this late stage.

Does anyone have any experience of Marymount school? We are returning to the Uk from Australia with a 15year old who unfortunately is in the wrong year for the start of GCSE’s and it seems impossible to start at a school one year into them and just do a limited number. So we are now considering the IB course and are thinking of a boarding option at Marymount. Would be grateful for any comments.

Thanks for such ab extremely useful blog . My son is 11+ and studying in IB- MYP School in India with Spanish as the second language . Which IB INtenational School in London is teaching Spanish .. Please advise as he would continue with full fledged IB School tillGrade 12.

Hey !! I was living in dubai before and I was studying in an IGCSE school and now I’m in London searching for an IGCSE school in London so I need so help to find a school over here which provides this curriculum Thanks in advance..

Hi,
We are living in Beijing, China for last two years and I got my sons in Pakistan Embassy College to have their O’levels but the grades, they scored were below satisfactory and it became a big concern for me.
We have decided to move to England by this year only for their best education. Can you please recommend a school nearby London, offering O & A Levels in Edexcel or Cambridge curriculum? Moreover, any school offering scholarships to new comers??

Hi and thanks in advance for any help that you might be able to give. Our family has recently relocated from Dubai and we have 3 children 10 & 7 girls and 6 yr old boy. We need a public school that offers great sports facilities and also music and drama even though the children are academically bright. We don’t mind living anywhere in London but would like all the children to attend the same school until 18. Please could you offer some recommendations.

Hi!
We’re moving to London during the summer and would like to have a few recommendations on the best IB schools for a 4 year old girl. She is fluent in English and Portuguese. We have not yet picked an area where to live so are open to the best schools for her. Would like to add another language, either French or German. And we appreciate a hands on learning experience. Thanks so much for any assistance you can provide!

Thanks for a great guide. I am looking to put my kids (3,6) in ACS Egham. Which is the most convenient location to stay in London. Don’t want kids to travel more tha 20-30 minutes. My workplace is Chiswick. I have been informed that they will have a bus service to Chiswick too.

What school would you recommend for a 7 year old mildly autistic boy and his 4 year old brother who are moving to London suddenly? Is there an inclusive private school in London? International schools in/around London have all said no so far sadly. Parents are willing to fund a part-time assistant for maths and literacy.

my daughter is 17 and from the Caribbean and has attained 9 passes at ordinary levels. As a reward I sent her on vacation to her aunt’s who is in Streatham (and a British citizen) and now she is interested in doing her A’levels or a Diploma in London. What path do you suggest we take?